Running more than 2,000 kilometers from Beijing to Hangzhou, the Grand Canal is the longest and oldest man-made canal in the world. [Photo/VCG]

A comprehensive plan for the long-term conservation of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal has been devised and is ready to be implemented, the Hangzhou government announced on Jan 29.

Running more than 2,000 kilometers from Beijing to Hangzhou, the Grand Canal is the longest and oldest man-made canal in the world, and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014.

Jointly published by the Hangzhou City Planning & Design Academy and China Architecture Design & Research Group, the plan, which serves as an important legal document for the protection of the canal, specifies key points and a general strategy in its management by integrating the long-term vision for the canal with the city's urban development, land use, port and shipping, and water conservation goals.

It also proposes the segmented management of the Hangzhou section of the Grand Canal, with it being divided into modern urban sections, historical towns, suburban villages, and natural areas.

In the coming year, the Hangzhou government has pledged to protect and inherit the valuable cultural legacy by strengthening the management of the canal and seeking innovations in the preservation mechanisms.